lectin

American  

[lek-tin] / ˈlɛk tɪn /

noun

Biochemistry.

1. any of a group of proteins that bind to particular carbohydrates in the manner of an antibody and are commonly extracted from plants for use as an agglutinin, as in clumping red blood cells for blood typing.

---

lectin British  

/ ˈlɛktɪn /

noun

1. a type of protein possessing high affinity for a specific sugar; lectins are often highly toxic

---

Etymology

Origin of lectin

1954; < Latin lēct ( us ), past participle of legere to gather, select, read + -in ²

Example Sentences

"Our findings show just how critical it is to stabilize the mucus barrier. Looking ahead, we can imagine exploiting lectin properties to design proteins that actively reinforce that protective layer," Kiessling says.

From Science Daily • Mar. 16, 2026

The interaction between sugar and lectin can be described using a "lock and key" relationship, where the "key" is the sugar and the "lock" is the lectin.

From Science Daily • Nov. 14, 2023

Kidney beans contain a protein called lectin that can lead to nausea, vomiting and diarrhea if they're consumed raw or undercooked.

From Salon • Sep. 10, 2022

And the lectin, derived from the jack-bean plant, was toxic.

From New York Times • Nov. 13, 2014

And so the insulin stops working to lower blood-sugar levels precisely when it’s no longer needed, because its sugar chain is held hostage by the lectin.

From New York Times • Nov. 13, 2014